Launched in 2003, the 'Best Companies' study is firmly established as Ireland's most comprehensive annual study of workplace culture, offeringbenchmarking, learning, and networking opportunities to all who take part.

"Understandably, it appeals to Ireland's Best Employers as it gives them the opportunity to achieve widespread recognition as Employers of Choice, " saysCathal Divilly, Project Director of the Great Place to WorkR InstituteIreland.

"Our independent endorsement helps them to attract and retain the best talent, which in turn allows them to enjoy a host of competitive advantages."

Since its creation five years ago, Sigmar Recruitment Ltd has been very conscious of the importance of open communication. With 81 staff in Ireland, and offices in Cork, Galway, Dublin, Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, Gdanskand Frankfurt, good communications are promoted across the entire organisation.

Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig, associate director of Sigmar Recruitment Ireland, says promoting an open and transparent workplace is vital. "From the beginning the company wanted an open, inclusive culture, and one which promoted fairness and rewarded employees for what they put into that culture, " he explains.

This behaviour has resulted in Sigmar's low turnover of staff, which is somewhere in the region of just 5pc over five years - a very low figure inthe recruitment industry.

Sigmar offers a comprehensive training and development programme, which encourages staff to go after their business and personal goals. There isalso opportunity for career development and a positive work-life balance is also promoted. Every quarter the company pays for a night out for staff and, last Christmas, employees from all the offices in Ireland were flown to Germany for the weekend for their Christmas party.

The company also has a corporate citizenship programme in place, and last Christmas instead of giving corporate gifts, the company donated money directly to the Niall Mellon Trust.

When a new person starts work at Sigmar, they are introduced to every single person in the company. "Our culture embodies a happy workplace by nature, and our approach is progressive but humble. If the workplace is happy, everybody's a winner."

Past winners of the Best Place to Work For include Microsoft, MBNA, BostonScientific Tullamore, and O2 Ireland, each of whom has subsequently been included among the Top Ten on the Institute's lists of the 100 BestWorkplaces in Europe.